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“You got enough breaks.” I could see his stats. He was lazy and
careless, but he was a fit fuck and already running faster than me. I tapped
my panel until my pace matched his.
“Yeah, well, break time’s over. I’ll be hauling pig slop ten years before
he flicks me another dime. That cool for you?”
“Not my problem.”
I had enough problems. I loved my brothers, but Colton was
unmanageable, much like Ella, who I wasn’t allowed to love.
Which I didn’t. I didn’t even want to like her.
But the sex. The alternating tenderness and ferocity had softened me.
I’d told her things I hadn’t spoken about to anyone. I’d wanted her to know
me, the real me, the part that wanted to crawl under her skin when we
fucked and lose my identity inside her.
Colton and I ran in silence long enough to lull me into thinking he’d
stop talking, but no.
“So you fell in love, huh?” he asked. “Didn’t know you had it in you.”
“I guess I do.”
But I couldn’t love Ella. We were on a timeline. Losing myself in her
wasn’t possible, nor was it wise.
“All the girls you brought around.” Tap-tap. His belt tilted uphill. “I was
always like ‘why’s he even with her?’”
“What’s that mean?” Instinctively, I added to the grade, because if he
could run this fast uphill, I could too.
“Dude. The doctor?”
“June.”
“She was totally hot. Smart as fuck. Never once in two years, neh-ver
did I look at you guys and think, ‘Yeah, he loves that chick.’ And Mom
didn’t—”
“My mother doesn’t run my relationships.”
“Not saying that. Just… you were a stone-cold motherfucker, dude.”
“Can we just have a run? Or do you want to sit and talk about your
past?”
“Whatever.” Tap-tap. Faster, and fuck him for it.
I added to my speed. Maybe we’d be too breathless to talk.
“Good morning.” Byron’s voice came from behind us. “Colton. It’s
good to see you, brother.” He slapped Colton’s back.
“Yeah,” he replied, jogging too fast to run his mouth.